Flourless Chocolate Chip Blondies With Chocolate Ganache

I have to admit, I was a little sceptical at first when I learned there was such a thing as chickpea cake and chickpea blondies.

I mean, I’d heard of – and devoured – black bean brownies before, and I’ve also used plenty of cashews and nuts in baking. But…c’mon…chickpeas??

However, my dear friend Jacky convinced me otherwise when she posted a recipe to a beautiful chickpea cake, topped with – get this – chickpea frosting! It looked so light and fluffy and so perfectly cake-like that I decided to leap onto the chickpea bandwagon there and then.

I was feeling too lazy to make a cake, so I decided to create these Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies instead, which can be whipped up with minimal fuss – just blend, stir and bake!

To make them extra decadent (you must know I’m all about decadence by now!), I topped them with a smooth and rich coconut milk chocolate ganache, which is dairy-free and vegan-friendly.

In fact, the whole cake itself is vegan-friendly. And, since it contains zero flour – just a few sprinklings of ground almonds for texture purposes – it’s also gluten-free. Hurrah!

These little cakes are the perfect treat for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Or any afternoon, in fact. Or morning – I’m not judging! They taste delicious with a mug of tea or hot chocolate, and they always give me that energy boost I so desperately need during this cold snap.

Anyway, if you remain unconvinced by the idea of chickpea blondies, let me tell you that these were a huge hit with the kids – the cashew butter makes them smooth and rich, without being heavy, while the chocolate makes them seem like a real treat.

And, let’s face it, it’s always a bonus when we encourage our kids to eat an extra portion of fruit and veg without them even knowing, right?!

Would you try chickpea blondies?

Let me know – and share with me if you recreate!

Sam x

Flourless Chocolate Chip Blondies With Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

Serves 12

2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained (reserve the aquafaba)

2 tbsp aquafaba

7 tbsp oat, cashew or coconut milk

250g (roughly one cup) cashew butter (I used Meridian)

5-6 tbsp coconut honey or maple syrup (to taste)

1 tbsp vanilla paste

1/2 cup coconut sugar (I use Coconut Merchant)

5 tbsp ground almonds

1/2 tsp baking powder

Large pinch salt

100g dark chocolate chunks (I used Ombar)

For the ganache (optional) –

1/4 tin full fat coconut milk (around 100ml)

110g dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used Ombar)

1/2 tsp vanilla paste

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C, then line a brownie tin. Start by placing the chickpeas into a blender with the aquafaba, cashew butter, milk, maple syrup and vanilla paste. Blend until completely smooth.

Pour into a bowl, then fold in the dry ingredients – the sugar, almonds, baking powder and salt – until completely combined. Taste the wetness of your mixture – your batter should just fall off a spoon when turned upside down. If it’s too dry, add a splash more milk. If it’s too wet, add some more almonds. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the brownie tin, then bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm on top – you want it to be ever so slightly gooey inside. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

In the meantime, make your ganache, if using. Gently heat your coconut milk in a pan until just about to boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chunks. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then stir smooth until chocolate is melted (you may need to heat a little more if it doesn’t completely melt). Stir in the vanilla, and sweeten slightly to taste if needed.

Spread the ganache over your cooled blondie – or omit for a lighter treat! – then cut into squares and enjoy. Store in an airtight container for a few days.